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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Anna Fessenden Norris of Waltham, Massachusetts

1880s autograph album of Anna Fessenden Norris of Waltham, Massachusetts.

The album is approximately 6-1/4" x 4" and contains the sentiments of 65 of Anna's relatives and friends from Massachusetts and Maine. An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

Anna Fessenden Norris was born 3 October 1871 at Waltham, Massachusetts, the daughter of John Elbert Norris and Mary Ann (Viles) Norris, who were born at Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Weston, Massachusetts, respectively.

Neither of Anna's parents signed in the album; they may have signed in another. However, two of Anna's mother's sisters signed pages in the album. "Aunt Ella", who presumably was Ella Maria Viles, younger sister of Anna's mother Mary Ann (Viles) Norris, signed a page on February 27, 1882. She would later, in 1887, marry Walter Fay Baker.

Another sister of Mary Ann (Viles) Norris and Ella Maria Viles signed a page. She was Lizzie J. Viles, or, formally, Elizabeth Jones Viles, of Weston, Massachusetts, who also signed a page on February 27, 1882.

On 31 January 1889 at Waltham, Massachusetts, Anna Fessenden Norris married Edward Davis Bliss, son of David and Annie Hannah (Bryant) Bliss. Edward was born 21 January 1868 at Waltham, Massachusetts. He signed a page as Edward Bliss at Waltham, Massachusetts, on November 14, 1885.

According to the Censuses, the couple lived at Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Townsend, Massachusetts, and raised three children.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers below, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Thanks!